Friday, 24 August 2012

Out and About - Saltaire

We had the nicest day out with my some friends and their children during the week. Bella and Angus and I went to a park near Salts Mill, which is a huge old building converted into shops, restaurants and a fantastic David Hockney gallery. It is worth a visit just to see the Hockney art and to browse some seriously nice interior design shops. The mill is in Saltaire, a beautiful village on the outskirts of Bradford, which is deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of imposing Victorian industrial architecture with views right up on to the moors.

We met at the mill, then walked over the canal to the nearby playground. The children ran around and shouted and shrieked while we drank coffee in cardboard cups. A local youth group turned up and started doing some graffiti art much to the amusement of all the small people. We had an impromptu picnic lunch from a local deli and Mr Whippy ice creams from the ice cream van. Then we wandered over to a beautiful wide, open green space next to the canal. We bought more coffees. The children fed the ducks and played football and rode their scooters and bikes up and down the flat, wide pathways. The Victorians knew a thing or two about building public parks. It threatened to rain all day but didn't.

I love days like that.

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Tomorrow we are off to my parent's for the week, for a dose of Southern air and the seaside and lots of family time. Rather annoyingly, the weather forecast is wet and windy so I'm no sure how much beach time there will be. I may camp out in the beach hut anyway, with a cup of tea and some crochet.

You have a lovely way of capturing these holiday days - wonderful happy times that your children will treasure for always I bet. Enjoy your week by the sea - hope the weather is kinder than you expect, it's often better by the sea than inland so you may be luckier than you think. Enjoy anyway! E x

Sorry hit publish by accident! I meant to say that your plan of tea and crochet in a beach hut sounds like heaven - children play happily on the beach whatever the weather. Have the most wonderful time and looking forward to your tales xxx